Backstories     Your character's backstory describes their life before the campaign, and how they came to be an adventurer. You are not obligated to write any length of backstory, nor do you receive rewards for doing so. The purpose of a backstory is simply to help you roleplay your character and understand their motivations. After all, adventurers do not spring fully formed from the ground, and their past experiences will inform their actions once the "frontstory" begins. It can be hard to earn DP for a character arc when you don't know how their arc began!

    Feel free to handle your backstory in whatever way is helpful to you. Some Legends players enjoy writing many pages of backstory, while others are content with one simple answer like "for the money" when their character is first asked why they became an adventurer. You don't need to feel pressured to write a whole novella just to play. You can even have a tentative background and "discover" more facts about your character as the game goes on, provided you stay consistent and don't contradict any earlier fact.

    As discussed in the LP chapter, backstory does not directly affect your character's capabilities or resources unless you take LP Elements to match. In Legends, the GM is also not required to incorporate your backstory into the campaign's storyline. They may decide to do so, but an individual PC's motivations are unlikely to become the focus of the plot. It is your responsibility, not the GM's, to make sure that your character is motivated to stay and work with the party. If at any point you find that your character would no longer participate in the group's story, it's time to retire them and make a new character.

    If your GM is doing an advanced start, or if you are making a replacement character for a PC who died or retired after many adventures, some form of backstory may be required to explain how the new character got their experience and depth. But LP Elements will still be needed for any extra backstory-related benefits, the focus will still be on the campaign storyline.

"Dos"    Should you choose to write a backstory, here are a few ideas for useful things to include:
    -Where your character came from. You might consult the Geography chapter in depth and choose a particular city, or you might keep it simple: "a small village in Manusia." You might also address how they came to be in whatever location the GM is beginning the campaign.
    -Why your character became an adventurer. It's a highly risky profession, and not one that a person would generally consider without some kind of "push." Trauma or desperation are common examples. Other characters become enamored with the reputation of adventurers, giving in to the "hero worship." Some seek power or wealth. Positive relationships with stable families are extremely rare amongst adventurers, as such expectations are hardly compatible with the travel and risk. In general, new adventurers have either gone through some experience that puts them in a place of "having nothing to lose" (or at least less to lose), or they are supremely confident in their own invincibility.
    -How your character obtained any LP Elements you chose, as well as their starting Study Background(s). Many of these are fairly straightforward (for example, the required five years at an arcane school), while others are an opportunity for some creativity.
    Your entire backstory should also be shared with your GM, and abide by any unique provisions they've established - for example, beginning the campaign already knowing the other party members, or working for a specific employer.
"Don'ts"    Likewise, here are a few elements that should never be part of a backstory:
    -"Gaming" the campaign. Don't attempt to bypass LP Element requirements or gain a leg up over the GM or the other players in some way; don't try to make your backstory overshadow the frontstory. Similarly, don't portray your character as a member of an established Lur-Asko faction without consulting the GM.
    -Contradicting the lore. While you don't need to exhaustively read all the lore of Lur-Asko to create a character, some concepts simply don't work. For example, don't try to have a Therbolgite who actually remembers the Deep, or a character who follows some new religion that doesn't exist in the setting. Backstories are meant to engage with the lore, not overwrite it.
    -Fighting with your GM. They have the right to ask you to change any part of your backstory, and are not required to explain why; some things that would otherwise be perfectly fine might clash with the plans for their particular campaign.